Long Island service firms hit hard by winter weather

More service businesses on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs saw sales decline because of snowstorms in January and February, according to a survey reported Tuesday, March 17, 2015. This snowplow was clearing County Road 51, also known as Moriches-Riverhead Road, in Eastport on Feb. 15, 2015. Photo Credit: John Roca

More service businesses on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs saw sales decline because of snowstorms in January and February, according to a survey reported Tuesday, March 17, 2015. This snowplow was clearing County Road 51, also known as Moriches-Riverhead Road, in Eastport on Feb. 15, 2015. (Credit: John Roca)

More service businesses on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs saw their sales decline because of snowstorms in January and February than their city counterparts, according to a new survey.

Retailers, hotels, restaurants and other service businesses in Nassau and Suffolk counties "reported fairly widespread weather effects in February, but less so in January," the Federal Reserve...

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More service businesses on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs saw their sales decline because of snowstorms in January and February than their city counterparts, according to a new survey.

Retailers, hotels, restaurants and other service businesses in Nassau and Suffolk counties "reported fairly widespread weather effects in February, but less so in January," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Tuesday.

"The proportion reporting a revenue drop of at least 10 percent was considerably lower among Manhattan-based service firms," the bank said.

In a survey earlier this month, the Fed found that overall, nearly 4 in 10 service firms in the New York area experienced as much as a 10 percent falloff in sales due to snow in January, and three in 10 last months.

In a separate statewide survey, also conducted this month, 4 in 10 manufacturers said they saw similar revenue declines in both months.

Asked if winter had affected the cost of doing business, 6 in 10 factories and 4 in 10 service firms said their expenses had risen "slightly."

About 100 manufacturers across the state and 100 service businesses in the metropolitan area participated in the surveys. A regional breakdown of the results was not available.